Sept. 11 2017: Interview on TooFullToWrite Blog, by David Ellis

This interview is long, and there’s lots of good stuff in there. If you’ve got time to read, please, click on over to the TooFullToWrite blog. Enjoy!

Sept. 10 2017, LA Talk Radio: The Creative Muse Hour

This was a wonderful hour for me, chatting with Toni Koch, Carl Percival and Kyle Leone about Patience. They actually played clips from the whole album, from beginning to end, and asked me for the stories behind the songs. It went beautifully and I think you’ll enjoy it – for though we were live on LA Talk Radio, the show was also recorded as a podcast, and you can listen to it, just click here!

Jul. 27 2017, Vue Weekly: “Keeping sci-fi local” by Heather Gunn

With the massive, over-the-top success of the Edmonton Expo, it’s easy to overlook smaller pop culture conventions that occur in the city, such as the Pure Speculation festival.

Pure Speculation, a sci-fi literature-based festival, has been running in Edmonton since 2005.

“At the time I looked around the Edmonton sci-fi scene and there wasn’t a lot going on, and it didn’t seem like anyone else was going to try and put anything together,” says Brent Jans, festival chair. “So for better or worse I took it into my head to try and put something on.”

The festival is not only for those who love literature, but has a bit of excitement and activity for everyone’s interests. In addition to the various panels, which feature special guests and discussions, there are unique demonstrations for guests to take part in.

This year a local steampunk group will be showing people the art of parasail duelling, and a local Jedi group will be doing light saber demonstrations.

Each year the festival welcomes a guest of honour, and this year’s honouree, Vanessa Cardui, is a worthy candidate. Hailing from Calgary, Cardui is a musician who has often taken inspiration from sci-fi and the geek community, and incorporated those themes into much of her music—especially in her album Filk and Cookies, which she dedicated to the fandom community.

“I started by writing music about many different topics, which I still do, and not specifically about fandom or geek culture,” says Cardui. “But I got involved in that scene, in the conventions and so on. The people are so wonderful.”

When looking for what to study in post secondary, Cardui decided not to pursue music education because of her mothers caution against it.

“In university I studied Greek and Roman studies as a major, but I also took a bunch of music history courses there,” says Cardui. “I eventually went to SAIT, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. I took a diploma program there for audio engineering, so I am now a producer of my own records from the education I got there.”

Cardui will be holding both a Q&A session and a songwriting workshop at Pure Speculation, and will cap off the weekend by performing at the Saturday night party.

“Based on my past experience, the song writing work shop is going to be very much based on the audience and where they all are. I touch base with each one of them,” says Cardui. “For the Q&A, I’ll answer anything anyone asks, but I’m hoping to also have an instrument with me because I’m always more comfortable talking about myself if I can also interject with music from time to time.”

Patience, her new album slated for a September release, is a culmination of all her past works, with some influence from Renaissance music, something new she is exploring. 

Pure speculation has seen a lot of growth and change over the years, the most notable of which is the introduction of free admission, and the move from fall to summer. They’re also introducing a membership for those who want to donate and participate in other events they hold throughout the year.

“Our last fall festival was in 2015, and we took a year off to move ourselves into the summer, and sort of re-work the festival a little bit,” says Jans.

Though they are making changes, the core goal of the festival is to unite a more locally-focused geek community.

“It’s important for community groups and for grassroots community groups to have a way to celebrate the thing that they love,” says Jans. “I love the Edmonton Expo and I actually, for the last few years, ran their tabletop gaming area, and I get out to it every chance I get. But it’s not necessarily accessible to everyone.”

Cardui has a similar perspective on local conventions, reinforcing Jans’ idea that community-minded events are integral.

“We’re all like-minded in that we have passion, and we want to share that passion with others. That really gets lost in big festivals,” she says. “They are a family reunion. When you go year after year, there are special friendships that I don’t think really emerge in any other context.”

Oct. 16 2013, The Weal: “Music is more than just a hobby for this SAIT student”
by Inonge Chimwaso, A&E Editor

An ample amount of talented musicians attend SAIT Polytechnic, but many of them aren’t enrolled in courses related to music. However, digital audio engineering student, Vanessa Cardui, has chosen to take the scholastic steps necessary to make music her full-time profession.

For this folk singer with a Celtic sound, studying something in her line of work will only further benefit her musical career.

“I enrolled at SAIT so that I could eventually be a self-sufficient musician and have as many skills relating to my craft,” she said.

While Cardui isn’t currently enrolled in any courses this fall, she will be returning for the winter semester to complete one final course before graduating with a certificate in digital audio.

For Cardui, music is something that she pursues wholeheartedly, and despite the advice that she has received to consider picking a backup career in the event that her musical career doesn’t take her far, she has high hopes for her craft.

“I’ve never liked the idea of having a fallback career,” she said. “If I’m going to fall, I would rather fall forward.”

This all-or-nothing mentality has already started to pay off for Cardui, as she has gained quite a following from the sci-fi and medieval communities both nationally and internationally. Cardui, who has composed an album called Filk and Cookies specifically for the sci-fi community, performs at a number of different sci-fi conventions, referring to the attendees as “an extended family.”

But this isn’t the only group of people that she considers family, as she is also the 2013 bardic champion of the Kingdom of An Tir, a medieval community that includes Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Oregon, Seattle, and Idaho.

Cardui’s duties as the bardic champion include providing live entertainment when the kingdom congregates for special events. Cardui also teaches and mentors other members of the kingdom who are interested in getting involved with music.

While she enjoys her position as a bardic champion and all the traveling opportunities that come along with it, she said that “music is my job, medieval music is my hobby.”

Her more serious projects include a recent EP which she released on June 28, entitled The Wine-Dark Sea, and her second album, Patience, which she is currently raising funds for through Kickstarter.com to help pay for the production of the album.

Her first album, Thought Experiment, “cost a lot more time than money,” because she owned her own studio so she had the luxury of doing as many takes as she wanted to until she felt she had reached perfection.

Patience, on the other hand, will require Cardui to fork out a lot more money and put in a little less time to produce her album because she no longer has her own studio due to unforeseen circumstances.

“Now I feel like my creativity will be challenged in a way because I need to go in prepared knowing what I’m going to do because I want to make this album with a reasonable budget,” she said.

Cardui hopes to raise $10,000 starting on Oct. 7 – Nov. 13, through her Kickstarter campaign, where people will pledge money in exchange for tickets to the CD release party of her album Patience, a copy of Patience once it’s produced, or a live performance from her.

Because people are making a pledge, no exchange of money will transpire until she reaches her fundraising goal.

If the goal isn’t met by the final day, no one will be charged and Cardui will get back to the drawing board to look for another way to fund her project.

May 14 2012, Songs of the Goddess: A Beautiful Circle Casting Song From Vanessa Cardui

Recently a video was shared on the Songs of the Goddess‘s Facebook wall which really caught my ear. Vanessa Cardui‘s “Invocation” is a beautiful take on a magicians creating sacred space. Within she creates her Temple start to finish; from the circle cast to the calling forth Deity with nothing else but her angelic voice. Like the incredibly gifted singer/songwriter Celia Farran, Vanessa masterfully builds layer upon layer with her looping machine to create a choir of many with just one person.

Vanessa takes us through her creation of sacred space by invoking the elements, archangels, quarters, lord and lady. She start off with simple words which represent aspects of each direction and builds upon each line over and over to the point where cacophony meets symphony. All these things coming together to form a beautiful temple where she suddenly welcomes the lord who is born, dies and rises again and the lady to whom he shares that journey with.

For me, when it’s done right like this, I find myself catching my breath and ensnared by its powerful web of tones and vocalizations. Invocation appears to be from an upcoming album which I most definitely look forward to hearing, especially if this is any indication of her ability to blend intriguing magickal aspects together and delivering with such a heavenly, yet commanding voice. You can buy a copy of Invocation from her website or iTunes (where I bought mine).

Dec. 5 2011,  Music Emissions: Vanessa Cardui  – Thought Experiment
by Kevin Sellers

I have, for years now, cautiously dabbled in the realm of more traditional-leaning singer/songwriters. It’s never been my accustomed or fallback outlet of musical stylings, but I often find comfort in a more quiet and pensive approach to the art. It’s been quite a pleasure having a chance to hear Vanessa Cardui, a young and quite attractive (if I may say so myself) multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter out of Calgary. She has spent a good amount of time with her main project, the cleverly named Heroincredible, and this is her initial offering of her own imagining. I’ve read that she’s had a certain amount of assistance on Thought Experiment, but I cannot truly discern where and how, and I am want to assume the lump sum of the music was all concucted and portrayed by Vanessa herself. Regardless, there is much to enjoy here.

Foremost in the mix of almost the entire album is Vanessa herself, her voice something which I’ve had a hard time finding words to accurately describe. There is a power to her vocals, but it remains reserved and, for lack of a better word, polite, for the most part. It never loses it’s edge, a strong and demanding presense that patiently weaves tales of love in all of it’s mystic, lustful, and beautiful forms. It is an unwavering constant within a shifting collection of creative compositions. “Where Poetry Fails” is a wide-open and breezy opener, a reflection on love as an ocean of longing and contemplation. Tightly reserved percussive flourishes and the imagery of a shore licked by the waves of a vast ocean conjure an immediate and warm atmosphere, a perfect choice to introduce the album. “Before She Falls Asleep” is a pensive description of an innocent and blissful romance that sounds absolutely prepared for modern country radio rotation. It has an underlying hook that sinks right in comfortably. “Righteous” stood out for me as a stark contrast to the previous upbeat numbers, much more moody and brooding, slowly building in volume and aggression but keeping an even head of steam. “Reflections on a Goddess Crowned in Light” is an interesting spoken-word piece, and it seems to be a transition into the remainder of the album. It certainly expresses Vanessa’s ability to write a moving set of lyrics without the need of musical accompaniment. “Keep Pouring Love On’ is a truly beautiful song, bright and touching without falling into the dreaded abyss of cliche. The rest of the album contains it’s moments of pure inspired excellence, some lesser than others but ultimately the entire picture is a cohesive and enjoyable one.

One may find more to love about Thought Experiment than I ultimately did, and as I related at the onset of this review, I am nothing more than a dabbler into this realm of musical creation. While Vanessa Cardui‘s limitations are nowhere to be seen, mine are met as the album ends. An enjoyable experience to be sure, it is hard for me to find a place and time where Thought Experiement would make for the ideal soundtrack. Perhaps, in a better world, in a peaceful place far away from the din and ado of our hectic and frustration daily lives. In fact, I may have just intimated exactly what Vanessa was aiming for here; an escape from the doldrums into an atmospheric embrace of the warming, healing aspects of love and affections. There are darker moments to be had, for sure, but you get a sense that even the most difficult aspects of Vanessa’s life, as she relates them to us in majestic and steadfast grace and skill, have a light at the end of their respective tunnels. I can only say to you, after all this description and criticizing, to listen for yourself. It moved me, and I think it may move you, depending on how you are, far more than that.

Dec. 2 2011, Grayowl Point: Review of “Thought Experiment” – Vanessa Cardui
by Cory McCrindle

If you believe that the door to true art is pain, then you will truly enjoy this album. That’s not to say that it’s necessarily painful to listen to the twelve tracks on Thought Experiment by Vanessa Cardui. In fact, it’s mostly rather soothing albeit at times quite melancholy. It’s just that you can really feel the pain Cardui must have gone through to be able to craft most of these songs. And that is part of the beauty of this album.

Thought Experiment features a lot of depth and drama, and will appeal to the more literate among us. Not being familiar with Vanessa Cardui, I would not be surprised to learn she has received classical vocal training. Her voice is rich and her song writing cerebral. She connects with you, I feel, because she has bared her soul and allowed you to experience her trials and tribulations from a safe distance. However, in doing so, we risk venturing so close to the glowing candle that we might get burned.

The first track on the album is called “Where Poetry Fails,” and offers up some welcoming, hypnotic guitar work. It’s a story of the excitement of new love that may remind some stylistically of Sarah McLachlan. The additional instrumentation – what sounds to me like mandolin as well as soft percussion and even wave sound effects if I’m not mistaken – works well. Cardui spins a good yarn here, and I love the line “You are where poetry fails.” Nicely done!

“Before She Falls Asleep” is a melodic number with some warm guitar and violin. I like the addition of what sounds like bongos and even flute in the song. Vanessa has a strong voice, although this song might have been boosted by a somewhat softer vocal delivery. Usually I am not a big fan of the acoustic guitar string scrape you hear from time to time on songs, but in this case it actually works to complement the track. One nice touch is the use of a rainstick in this tune, it really adds to the melancholy feel of the song.

In my opinion, Vanessa Cardui earns her closest comparison to Sarah McLachlan on track three, titled “Righteous.” Cardui weaves her magic on this one, with strong instrumentation including guitar and flute. It is a somewhat simplistic number musically, but definitely mesmerizing. To me it seems a bit short, but only because I was really enjoying it and suddenly it’s over. Lyrically, this is a strong number, with lines such as “I’m sorry that I’m doing this again/Confusion gets its claws in now and then.”

I am a big proponent of experimentation when it comes to music. It’s such a shame that emerging artists don’t do more of it. That’s why I enjoy the fourth track, “Reflections on a Goddess Crowned in Light.” It is a spoken word piece, and the result is powerful. It is a paean to love, stark in its delivery but nonetheless spellbinding. Vanessa shows off her flair for the dramatic and her marvellously poetic creativity.

“Keep Pouring Love On” is a poppier number, veering more towards Sarah Harmer territory in terms of style. The guitar work is warm and somewhat folksy. It’s nice to hear Cardui feature the higher end of her vocal range, which she does flawlessly. Not only that, but how often do you hear xylophone in a song these days? That in itself makes this one worth a listen. This number is a bit more uplifting than most of what came before it and makes for a nice counterpoint.

The spoken word approach returns in the song “The Wrath of Achilles” but operates mostly in the background of the track. The guitar and violin are supplemented with mandolin and it works well to provide the framework for the song. Vanessa does a great job on this tale of vengeance drawn from Greek Mythology. I’ve always been taken with musical artists who make you think, not just serve you up pabulum. Cardui seems to be influenced by literature and historical figures in her song writing, and I for one appreciate that.

“Laius” continues the theme of the previous tune, featuring spoken word behind the song. Again, it’s a guitar and violin flavoured track. It deals with the tale of King Laius – also of Greek Mythology – the father of Oedipus. It’s a dark story full of intrigue, and if you are familiar with it, you know what happens to Laius. If you don’t, and are interested, head for the library. Musically, it is a compelling tune and another good example of Vanessa Cardui’s literary bent.

“Cold-Blooded” marks the point in the album which for me sees Cardui stylistically repeating herself somewhat. Not to take away anything from the track. It would stand out well on its own, but is certainly not much different musically compared to some of the previous tracks. It’s yet another guitar and violin number with emotionally compelling lyrics. Depending on your mood, this song will either bring you comfort or despair. My money is on despair.

“The Legend of We” lightens things up a bit – slightly – which is a welcome detour. The guitar work is solid and the lyrics speak of a love lost but not forgotten. The percussion work is subtle enough not to interfere with the song’s emotional impact. You can hear the vulnerability in Vanessa’s voice and that is both compelling and heartbreaking. The only downside to this song, at least to me, is that at 3:10 it’s a bit too short.

Perhaps the strongest song on this album comes next. “Father” is an achingly beautiful track with a lonesome sounding flute providing the accompaniment to the clear, soft acoustic guitar. The stage set, Cardui tells us her story. “I turned every light out in my house/Sat in candle light/And softly hit bottom/Surrounded myself with odds and ends/Things my father touched/Before I forgot him,” she sings, her voice full of raw emotion. Any child who has become estranged from a parent for whatever reason can relate to this song. I give Vanessa full marks for tackling such difficult subject matter, and I am reminded of Joni Mitchell’s “River” when I hear this tune. They are both truly very moving numbers and I commend Cardui for sharing her pain. At the end of the song you feel empty, but to me that’s a sign that the artist has truly touched your soul.

“For Jason” is an instrumental, and to me sounds At times a bit like a slower, quieter version of the Beatles’ “Blackbird.” It’s a nice acoustic excursion, but doesn’t distinguish itself. I don’t dislike it, mind you, but nothing about it makes me want to hear it multiple times.

The final song on “Thought Experiment” is a marked departure from the rest of the album and perhaps a way for Vanessa Cardui to intentionally end things on a high note. It’s a Celtic sounding drinking song called “It All Winds Up in the Glass.” I am not sure whether or not Vanessa wrote it, but if she did it shows she has a wider range of musical influences. If you listened to just this song on the album, you would get a much different picture of her talents. The song features guitar, fiddle and even mandolin. I’m not exactly sure why she decided to put in pouring sound effects, but she did. There are also some backing vocals at play in this song, which is a nice addition. At least it may put a smile on your face after experiencing some of the heavier material on this album.

Good show! This is one of the better albums I have had the pleasure of listening to in quite some time. Sometimes it takes quite a while for an artist to open up. Sometimes they never really do, and only let us see caricatures of themselves in their music. But Cardui has done listeners a real service by exposing herself emotionally and letting us experience her artistry. Here’s wishing her a ton of success moving forward, and a sincere thank you, Vanessa, for sharing your gift. May all your experiments be as fruitful.

Top Tracks: “Father;” “Righteous;” “Keep Pouring Love On;” “The Wrath of Achilles”

Rating: Hunting Call (Excellent) + *swoop*